Stripping machine



Aug. 18, 1925. 1,550,455

c. J. RANDALL STRIPPiNG MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1922 6 SheetsSheet 1 CHESTER LR/IDAH- 77 0 33M hig'ttoznm 75 W Aug. 18, 1925. 1,550.455

' C. J. RANDALL STRI PPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1922 5 s t 2 Snveutoz CHESTER J. RANDALL 351 M4 m tom m3 C. J. RANDALL STRIPPING MACHINE 6 She etS-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 7, 192g (Il ll4-| 1,550,455 C. J. RANDALL STRIPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7. 19 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 18, 1925.

C. J. RANDALL STRIPRING MACHINE Aug. 18, 1925. 1,550,455

Filed Dec. 7, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 V avwentoz I CHESTER J. RANDALL 33313 hiy SWOT M Aug. 18, 1925.;

C. J. RANDALL STRIPPING MACHINE e Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 7, 1922 CHESTER J. RANDALL at tOM W/tj 5 f W pivotally der, while the upright 4 con'nnunicate by a S i passageway S with the opposite side the piston. Secured to the piston 4' is a piston rod 9 carrying at its lower end a clamping jaw 10 for engaging the projecting end of a boot tree, the jaw 10 sliding on the up rights 3 and by means of the bearings 11. The lower face of the jaw is provided with a concav recess 12 in which is sec red a facing 13 o1 leather or any other siitable material for frictionally engag jecting end of tire boot tree. Pivotally connected to each side or the cla" jaw 1 are links the lower ends of which are v connected to levers 15 tulcrumed on brackets 16 rigidly connected to the uprights 3 and 4. The opposite ends of levers 15 are connected by links 17 to a lower tree clamping jaw 18 which is similar to the upper jaw 10 and slides on the uprights S and 4 3y means of bearmgs 19. The aw 18 1s provided with a conve recess 12 and facing 13 in all respects similar to those carried by the upper jaw.

It will be seen that upon a downward movement of the piston 7, the clamping jaw 10 moves downwardly while by means of the links l4, levers 15 and links 17, the lower clan'iping jaw 18 is moved upwardly, and upon an upward movement of the piston 7, the movements of the jaws are reversed. The piston 7 is actuated in the following manner. Connected to the lower ends of the uprights 3 and 4 are supply pipes 20 and 21 leading into the casing of valve 22 disposed at the side of the machine. By reference to Figures 8 to 10 it will be seen that the valve casing is provided with an interior chamber 23 to which leads an inlet 24 in communication with the air supply pipe 25 leading from a main 25. The respective pipes 20 and 21 lead into the valve chamber 23 through passageways or inlets 26 and 27, and over these inlets is disposed a rotatable valve disc 28 having a port 29 therein, which in the position shown in Figures 8 and 9 is in registry with the passageway 27, thereby allowing air to pass from the main into the cylinder 5 on the lower side of piston 7. The valve disc 28 is also provided on its lower side with a curved groove 30, which in the position shown in Figures 8 and 9, establishes communication between the passageway26 and an exhaust-opening 31, hence it will be seen that at this time the air on the upper side of piston 7 may exhaust through the opening 81. In the position shown in F igures 8 and 9 further anti-clockwise movement of the valve disc 28 is prevented by the engagement of the stop lug 32 against stop 33 on the valve casing. lVhen the valve is turned in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Figure 19, the port 29 moves oi"- registr with the passageway 27, while the segmental groove opens up communication between said passageway and the exhaust outlet 31. At the same time the elongated port- 34 in the valv disc 28 registers with the passageway 26 and allows air from the main to enter the space above piston 7 of cylinder 5 thereiy reversing the movement of piston 7 and the clamping jaws 10 and 18. The valve disc 28 is held in engagement with its seat by the coil spring 35 surrounding the lower portion of the valve stem 36, the latter at its lower end being flattened where enthe corresponding groove 37 in the valve disc. Secured to the valve stem 36 is an operating lever 38 which is connected by the link rod 39 with a foot lever 40 fulcriuued on the leg 2. The lever 40 is returned to its upper position, after actuation, by the coil spring 41 secured to the lever and to the base 1.

Mounted at the rear end of the base 1 is an n night bracket 4.2 which is connected by the brace rods 43 with the brackets 16 (Figs. 1 and 4). Extending rearwardly from the upper end of bracket 42 are rods 44 rigidly secured to the bracket and connected at their outer ends bya plate 45. A pipe section 46 extends loosely through the plate 45 and is provided at its outer end with a closure cap 4-7 (see Fig. 1), which cap also acts as a stop to limit the movement of pipe 46 in one direction. Secured to the other end of the pipe 46 is a cross coupling 48, and mounted on the pipe between said coupling and the plate 45 is a coiled compression spring 49 which tends normally to keep the cap 47 in engagement with plate 45. A tapered boot tree engaging nozzle is secured to the forward arm of the cross coupling 48 by a flexible joint 50, while short pipe sections 51 are secured to the lateral arms of the cross coupling, one of said pipe sections 51 being closed by the cap 52. Flanges 53 are mounted on the pipe sections 51 which flanges act as guides to prevent lateral movement when the pipe sections 51 move rearwardly on the guide plates 54. Each of these guide plates has rigidly secured there to a pair of downwardly extending guide rods 55 passing freely through guide openings in a plate 56 secured to bracket 42. ilounted on each guide rod 55 between the plates 54 and 56 is a coiled compression spring 57, the pressure of which may be varied by means of the adjusting nut 58, the latter being held in position by a lock nut 59. It will be seen from the above construction that the entire assembly carried by the cross coupling 48 may be moved rearwardly against the pressure of spring 4-9 and also down against the pressure of springs 57, while at the same time, the nozzle 50 may also be moved on the flexible joint 50, these adjustments being provided to take care of variations in the size and positioning of the article to be removed from a tree. Attached to the pipe section 51, which is opposite the closure 52, is a flexible pipe 60 leading to a spring closed valve 61 mounted on and in communication with the air pipe 25. The valve plunger 62 of the valve is operated by one end of the lever 63 pivotally connected to the valve casing, the opposite end of the lever being connected to a link 64 having a reduced lower portion 65. Secured to the end of the reduced lower portion is a head 66, and a coiled spring 67 is disposed on said reduced portionbetween the head 66 and a slidable washer 68 mounted on said reduced portion. A valve operating arm 69 is slidable on the rod 64 and has one end rigidly connected to a valve opera-ting rod 70 con nected to the foot lever 40. It will be seen that by varying the position of the arm 69 on the rod 70 its time of engagement with the washer 68 will be varied to thereby vary the time of opening of the valve 61 Projecting upwardly from the base 1 is a longitudinally extended member 71 having at its top the laterally extending guide flanges 72 forming a runway for the carriage 73, which latter is held in position by the plates 74 engaging the lower surfaces of the flanges 72. Projecting from the rear end of carriage 73 is a lug 75 in which is mounted a small detent roller 76 (Fig. 4), the purpose of which will be later explained. The carriage 73 is laterally cut away as shown at 77 in Figure 1 to provide a slideway in which are mounted the laterally movable interengaging slides 78, eachof which is provided with the anti-friction rollers 79. Projecting upwardly from each slide 78 is a projection 80 on which a boot clamping jaw 81 is pivotally mounted at 82. Each boot clamping jaw is provided with a cushion, the construction of which is shown in detail in Figure 11, these cushions being omitted from the showing in the remaining figures for the sake of clearness. Secured. in each jawf 81 is a. base 83 which maybe made of wood, this base having a convex outer surface to which the cushions 84 encased in canvas or other coverings 85 may be secured. The cushions 84 may be made of sponge rubber or any other suitable material, and over the cushions a sheet 86 of rubber is preferably disposed. Any other suitable form of cushion for the boot clamps may be used. In order to prevent tilting of the jaws and their supporting slides 78 when pressure is applied, retaining plates 87 are disposed over the slides 78, these plates be ing secured to the carriage by bolts 88, and the plates 87 being cutaway as shown at '89 in Figure 1 in order to allow for movement of the upstanding lugs 80. Bell crank levers 90 are pivotally mounted on each side of the carriage at 91, one end of each lever being connected by a link 92 to the lug 80 of a corresponding slide 78, while the opposite ends of the levers 90 are connected by the links 93 to a connecting block 94, which latter has pivotally mounted therein a link 95 connected at its opposite end to a lever 96 tulcrumed at 97 on a bracket 98 carried by the base 1. The lower end 01 the lever 96 is connected by a link 99 to the piston rod 100 of a piston 101 movable in a cylinder 102 and secured below the base 1 (Figs. 5 and 7).- The piston rod 100 is extended through the cylinder 102 and connected to a piston 103 in a small oil check cylinder 104 of usual construction. Leading into the cylinder 102 on opposite sides of the piston are the respective air supply pipes 105 and 106, which pipes at their opposite ends lead into the casingof a valve 107 similar in all respects to the valve 22-. The operating lever 108 of valve 107 is connected to the rod 70 previously described.

A detent 109 adapted to engage the detentroller 76, previously mentioned as carried by the carriage 73, is mounted on a lever 110 supported on the base 1, the opposite end of the lever having pivotally connected thereto a threaded rod 111 passing freely through the base 1. Threaded on the rod 111 is a thumb nut 112 and between said nut and the base 1 a coiled spring 113 is disposed on rod 111. From this construction it will be seen that the detent 109 resiliently holds the carriage 73 against movement to the left as shown in Figure 4, hence when power is applied to the lever 96 by piston 101 the forward movement of the upper end of lever 96 first actuates the bell crank levers 90 to move the slides 78 toward each other, thereby clamping the jaws 81 on a boot disposed between them. As soon as the boot is clamped further movement of the aws in this direction is prevented and the continued forward movement of the upper end of lever 96 thereupon moves forward the carriage 73 and all associated parts against the resistance of detent 109. In order to preventabrupt stoppage of the carriage on its return. movement a bumper 114 is provided. This bumper is of angular shape as shown in Figure 4 and is slidably mounted on the guide rods 115 secured to the member 71. The coiled springs 116 are disposed on the guide rods 115 between the heads of said rods and the bumper 114 and the latter is also provided with steady pins 117 movable in recesses 1n the member 71.

The mechanism above described may be utilized to withdraw a boot from a boot tree of the type in which the toe and leg sections are permanently connected, but at present, sectional boot trees having slidably connected toe and leg sections are largely used. In trees of this type the mechanism previously described withdmaws only the leg section and in order to withdraw the toe section, the following mechanism is provided. A rest 118 is provided for the lower or heel portion of the boot as shown in Figure 6, this rest being secured to the base 1. At the rear of the base a pair of supporting brackets 119 are secured, which are united at the top by the angled bearing bracket 120 in which is rotatably mounted a shaft 121 having rigidly secured thereto an angled arm 122, the forward end of which terminates approximately above the rest 11S and carries a pair of small flexing rollers 123 and 12a for a purpose to be later described. Also rigidly secured to the shaft 121 is the operating arm connected by the link rod 126 to the foot lever 127, the latter being returned to inoperative position by the coiled spring 123. A stop 122 on the arm 122 is adapted to engage'the bracket 120 to limit its movement in one direction. A boot leg closure 129 of the shape shown in Figure 12 is carried by a pipe 130, which latter has a discharge opening leading through the closure, the plpe 130 being connected to the spring closed valve 131, having the operating plunger 132. The valve communicates with and is supported by an air supply pipe 133 leading into the tank 13 1 disposed below the base 1, said tank being in communication by the pipe 135 with the supply main 25. A bracket 136 is supported on the valve 131 and pivoted on said brac :et is an operating arm or lever 137, one end of which engages the valve plunger 132 while the other end is connected by the spring 138 to the hand lever 139 loosely mounted on shaft 121. Lever 139 has pivoted thereto a spring pressed dog 1 10 which is adapted to engage a toothed curved rack 14:1 rigid on the shaft 121. It will be seen from this construction that by varying the position of lever 139 the tension of spring 133 may be regulated to open the valve 131 at different points in the movement of arm 122 on this shaft.

A pair of levers 1A2 are pivotally mounted at 1&3 on the forward ends of the respective brackets 1.19, the forward end of each lever being provided with a relatively narrow and extended clamping jaw L1 1, each jaw having disposed therein a cushion 1 15 which may be made of rubber or any other suitable material (Figs. 1 and 6). To the opposite ends of the levers 1 12 links 1A6 are connected, which links are also pivotally connected to the piston rod 1 17 carried by the piston 1 18 of cylinder 1 1-9. Leading into the cylinder 149 on opposite sides of the piston are the respective air supply pipes 150 and 151 which communicate with the interior of the valve 152, the latter being similar in all respects to the valves 22 and 107. The valve 152 communicates by means of the pipe 153 with the air tank 134. The valve is actuated by the arm 15A connected to a back of the boot leg.

link rod 155, the latter being also connected to the foot lever 127. In order to prevent too great a clamping action by the jaws 14A and consequent injury to the boot, an ad justable-stop screw 156 is provided which limits the forward movement of piston rod 1A7.

In operation a boot is disposed between the clamping jaws 31 and the opening in the projecting rear portion of the boot tree is disposed over the tapered air supply nozzle This opening is the opening through which air is exhausted from the boot and tree during the curing operation. By reason of the mountings previously described the nozzle 50 maybe readily adjusted for different sizes and styles of boots. The operator then presses down on pedal 40, and

the timing of the various valves is so arranged that the valve 22 is first opened to admit air above the piston 7 in cylinder 5 and thereby close the clamping jaws 10 and 1.3 on the projecting portion of the boot tree. In the continued downward movement of the foot lever 4C0 the valve 61 is next actuated to admit air to the interior of the tree and boot. As the boot tree in cross section is of an oval or elliptical form, when the air enters between the tree and boot, it tends first to separate the boot from the tree along the long side of said oval, that is, along the side portions of the boot leg opposite the clamps 81. As the foot pedal 1 0 is further pressed down the valve 107 opens, which actuates the piston in cylinder 102 and moves forwardly the upper end of lever 96, thereby closing the clamps 81 on the sides of the boot leg and again bringing the sides of the boot leg into contact with the tree. As the air is still escaping between the tree and boot it then passes between those portions of the boot and tree at the short sides of the oval which correspond to the front and V Hen c, it will be seen that the sides of the boot leg are those first freed from adhesion to the boot tree and that upon engagement of the sides by the clamps 81 the front and back of the boot leg are then freed from the tree. In the continued forward movement of lever 96 the entire carriage 73 and supported parts next move to the left in Figure at against the resistance of the detent 109, and as the boot tree is rigidly held by the jaws 10 and 18 the boot is drawn off of the tree. In the case of boot trees in which the toe section is permanently connected to the leg section the entire tree is of course withdrawn. As before stated sectional boot trees are in com mon use, however, in which a leg section is slidably united with a toe section, and in the case of such trees the leg section only is withdrawn from the boot in the operation just described. To remove the toe section the boot 157 is then placed on the rest 118 in the position shown in Figure 6 with the boot leg embracing the closure 129. The footlever 127 is then pressed down, and the parts are so timed that in the downward movement of the lever 127 the valve 152 is first actuated to admit air in rear of the piston 148, which causes the clamping jaws 1 1 1 to close on the boot leg over the closure 129 thereby sealing the open end of the boot leg. In the further downward movement of the foot lever 127 the valve 131 is next opened to admit air through the pipe 130 to the interior of the boot, and following this the arm 122 has moved downwardly far enough to engage the flexing rollers 123 and 124 with the top and bottom of the toe portion of the boot. This flexing action of the rollers 123 and 124 releases the toe section of the tree allowing it to drop, and upon release of the foot lever 127, the toe section may then be shaken or drawn out of the boot leg.

While a specific embodiment of the in. vention adapted for the removal of boot trees from boots has been shown and described, it is obvious that the device may be applied to the removal of other-forms from rubber articles and that numerous changes may be made in the details.

It will be seen that by my invention a machine has been provided for the automatic withdrawal of a form. from vulcanized articles such as boots, that the time and manual laborformerly required have been obviated, and that the danger of injury to the article while removing it from the form has been practically done away with.

Numerous vmodifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it is not desired to limit the invent-ion other than as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A machine for removing a soft rubber vulcanized article from the form on which it is cured, comprising means for breaking the adhesion between the article and form, means for withdrawing one of them from the other by a relative bodily movement, and means for successively actuating said first two means. i

2. A machine for removing a soft rubber vulcanized article from the form onwhich it is cured, comprising means for breaking the adhesion between the article and the form, means for withdrawing the article by a bodily movement while the form is held stationary, and means for successively actuating said first two means.

3. A machine for removing a soft rubber vulcanized article from the form on which it is cured, comprising fluid pressure means for breaking the adhesion between the article and the form, means for withdrawing one of them from the other by a relative bodily movement, and means for successivel'y actuating said first two means. 7

4L. A machine for removing a soft rubber vulcanized article from the form on which it is cured, comprising fluid pressure means for breaking the adhesion between the article and the form, means for withdrawing the article from the form by a relative bodily movement, and means for successively actuating said first two means.

5. A machine for removing a footwear article from the form on which it is cured, comprising fluid pressure means for successively breaking the adhesion between the article and form at different points, and means for moving one of them relatively to the other.

6. A machine for removing a footwear article from the form on which it is cured, comprising fluid pressure means for successively breaking the adhesion between the article and form at different points, and means form. e

7. A machine for removing a footwear article from the form on which it is cured, comprising means for admitting fluid under pressure between the article and form, means for insuring the passage of the fluid between the article and form at all points, and means including said last means for withdrawing one of said parts from the other after the adhesion is broken.

,8. A machine for removing a footwear article from the 15013111011 which it is cured, comprising means for admitting fluid under pressure between the article and form, means for insuring the passage of the fluid between the article and form at all points,

and means including said last means for withdrawing the article from the form.

9. A machine for removing footwear articles from trees, comprising means for clamping the tree, means whereby a supply of pressure fluid may be introduced between the tree and article, means for clamping the article, and means actuable by the operator for successively putting into operation said parts and for finally separating the article from the tree.

10. A machine for removing footwear articles from trees, COIIlPllSlIlglllBfillS for breakingthe adhesionbetween the article and tree, means for withdrawing the article from the tree by a bodily movement, and

article from the tree.

12. In a machine for removing boots from for withdrawing the article from the r hollow boot trees, tree clamping means, means for introducing pressure fluid between the tree and boot leg, means for insuring the introduction of said fluid to all points between the tree and boot leg, and means including said last means for clamping the boot and withdrawing it from the tree.

13. A machine for removing a footwear article from the form on which it is cured, comprising pneumatic means for partly breaking the adhesion between the article and the form on opposite sides of the leg portion, means for subsequently clamping to the form the sides of the leg portion thus released to thereby cause the adhesion to be broken between the remainder of the leg portion and the form, and means for finally separating the article from the form.

M. A machine for removing a footwear article from the form on which it is cured, comprising means for admitting a gaseous fluid in successive stages between the form and article at all points, and means for separating the form and article.

15. A machine for removing footwear articles from trees, comprising means for admitting pressure fluid to a tree and through the latter between the article and tree, means for clamping the tree, means for clamping the article, and means for causing a relative movement of said last two means.

16. A machine for removing boots from boot trees, comprising means for admitting a gaseous fluid through the tree between the latter and part of the leg portion of the boot, means for then directing the fluid between the tree and the remainder of the leg portion, and means including said last means for drawing apart the boot and tree.

17. A machine for removing boots from sectional boot trees, comprising means for admitting a. gaseous fluid through the tree between part of its periphery and the boot, means for then directing the fluid between the remainder of the tree periphery and the boot, means including said last means for drawing apart the boot and leg section of the tree, and means for dislodging the toe portion of the tree.

18. A machine for removing sectional boot trees from boots, comprising means for breaking the adhesion between the leg section of the tree and the boot and withdrawing one from the other, and means for subsequently breaking the adhesion between the boot and the toe section of the: tree and flexing the toe of the boot.

19. A machine for separating sectional boot trees from boots, comprising means for removing the leg section of the tree from the boot, and means for removing the toe section of the tree including means for gripping and inflating the boot and flexing its toe portion.

20. A machine for separating sectional boot trees from boots, comprising means for removing the leg section of the tree from the boot, and means for removing the toe section including means for flexing the toe portion of the boot and introducing fluid under pressure between said toe portion and the toe section of the tree.

21. In a machine for removing sectional boot trees from boots, mechanism for removing the toe section including, means for gripping the boot and sealing its open end, means for introducing fluid under pressure to the boot, means for fleeting the toe portion of the boot, and controlling means for successively putting into operation said previously recited means.

22. In a machine for removing boots from sectional boot trees, means for removing the toe section of the tree comprising a rest for the heel portion of the boot, means for closing andinflating the boot, and means for flexing the boot toe.

In a machine for removing boots from sectional boot trees, means for removing the toe section of the tree comprising a rest for the heel portion of the boot, a closure for the interior of the boot leg, means for clamping the boot leg around said closure, means for inflating the boot, and means for flexing the boot toe on opposite sides.

2-1. In a machine for removing boots from sectional boot trees, means for removing the toe sect-ion of the tree comprising means for closing and inflating the boot, exterior means for dislodging the toe section, and means for successively operating said means.

25. In a machine for removing boots from sectional boot trees, means for removing the toe section of the tree comprising a. rest for the heel portion of the boot, a closure for the interior of the boot leg, a pair of clamps for exteriorly gripping the boot leg to clamp it around said closure, means for inflating the boot, and opposed rollers for flexing the top and bottom of the toe portion of the boot.

26. In a machine for removing boots from sectional boot trees, means for removing the toe section of the tree comprising a rest for the heel portion of the boot, a narrow elongated closure for the interior of the boot leg, a pair of elongated clamps for exteriorly gripping the boot leg to clamp it around said closure, means for supplying fluid under pressure through said closure, op posed rollers for flexing the top and bottom of the toe portion of the boot. and means for successively operating said clamps, supplying fluid under pressure and operating said rollers.

27. In a machine for removing boot trees from boots, clamping means for the protruding portion of the tree, means for breaking the adhesion between the tree and the boot, boot clamping means movable trans versely of the boot to clampthe same and also movable in a direction longitudinally of the tree, and means for successively imparting said movements to the boot clamping means.

28. In a machine for removing trees from footwear articles, relatively fixed tree clamping means, means for breaking the adhesion between said tree and the article, article clamping means movable with respect to said first named clamping means, and means for operating said previously recited parts in succession.

29. In a machine for removing boots from boot trees, tree clamping means, boot inflating means, boot clamping means having a transverse boot clamping movement and a longitudinal boot Withdrawing movement, and means for successively actuating said parts.

30. In a machine for removing boots from boot trees, tree clamping means, hoot inflating means, boot clamping means having a transverse boot clamping movement and a longitudinal boot Withdrawing movement, unitary means for imparting both said movements to the boot clamping means, means for causing said movements to take place successively, and means for successively operating the tree clamping, boot inflating and boot clamping means.

31. In a machine for removing boots from boot trees, tree clamping means, boot inflating means, a carriage movable longitudinally of the clamped tree, means for yieldingly resisting such longitudinal movement, transversely movable boot clamping means mounted on said carriage, and means connected to the carriage for moving said boot clamping means and also moving the carriage.

32. In a machine for removing boots from boot trees, a resiliently mounted nozzle for engagement With the projecting end of a boot tree, means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, a pair of clamps for gripping said end and fixedly holding the tree, fluid operated means for moving said clamps, a pair of clamps for gripping the exterior of the boot leg, a movable carriage for said clamps, fluid operated means for successively moving said last named clamps and carriage, and manually operated means for governing the supply of fluid to said parts.

Signed at Seattle, county of King, and State of Washington, this: 15th day of November, 1922. V

CHESTER J. RANDALL. 

